My top 20 Simpsons episodes

Hello Enthusiasts,

Anyone who knows me knows that I love The Simpsons. I've been watching the show for years and, even though the more recent seasons don't seem to capture the magic that the earlier years had, I still try to catch every episode. It's a show that has defined a generation's sense of humor and story-telling. But what episodes stand out as the best? That opinion certainly differs from person to person, as not every joke hits everyone the same. With that being said though, I have listed out my top twenty episodes below. Because of the number of episodes I'm listing, I'm going to limit how much I write for each of these to a sentence or two.

20. "Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala[Annoyed Grunt]cious"(S8, ep13)

This episode is a parody of the hit Disney classic "Mary Poppins", music and all. Most of the humor outside of the songs is good, but the songs are really what puts this one on the list. 

19. "Bart the General" (S1, ep5)

This episode shows Bart fighting back against the biggest bully at Springfield elementary, Nelson. This episode is a great parody of military films and coming-of-age movies, plus it introduces the character of Herman, the one-armed military surplus store owner. 

18. "Homer the Great"(S6, ep12)

This is an episode that likely wrote itself after coming up with the premise of Homer being the prophesied leader of a secret society. The jokes are awesome here, as is the song Stonecutters' song, "We Do". 

17. "The Way We Was" (S2, ep12)

The first origin story put out there about how Homer and Marge ended up getting together. Their meeting and eventually getting together is as funny as it ends up being sweet, with Homer being the pinnacle of a lovable idiot. 

16. "A Fish Called Selma"(S7, ep19)

 This is a Troy McClure based episode that is mostly on here for the Planet of the Apes play that is invented for the episode. The musical, titled, "Stop the Planet of the Apes, I Want to Get Off!", is a stroke of brilliance, even for this show. The episode is great from start to finish, but that musical really kicks it up to another level.

15. "Beyond Blunderdome" (S11, ep1)

 Mel Gibson releases a remake of Mr. Smith goes to Washington, Homer hates it, and they try to change it to be more appealing to the everyman. It's a great episode with a lot of Hollywood references (Mel Gibson, John Travolta, Adam West, Burt Ward, and Robert Downey Jr. to name just a few). 

14. "Deep Space Homer"(S5, ep15)

 "Homer in space" is enough of a selling card, but it only goes further when you have Buzz Aldrin as a guest star for the episode. Add in a timeless joke of Kent Brockman hailing our new ant overlords and you have an instant classic. 

13. "Homer The Moe" (S13, ep13)

 While it is a late episode, it's an enjoyable story where Moe tries to rediscover himself and Homer takes over the bar. Solid pacing and jokes, though it does drop off just a bit once Moe takes the bar back. 

12. "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?"(S2, ep15)

 If I was to quote all of the great lines from this episode it would be a whole post in itself. This is classic Simpsons with some if their best work, and it guest starred Danny DeVito as Homer's half-brother Herb!

11. "One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish" (S2, ep11)

 This episode doesn't focus so much on the laughs, instead deciding to be heavy on the sentimentality. Most of the episode involves Homer thinking that he is dying and he tries to get as much done in his final day as he can. Every once in a while, the Simpsons will take a more serious turn like this and it often works very well. 

10. "Marge vs. the Monorail" (S4, ep12)

 The town gets conned into building a monorail after a big song and dance number. It's full of laughs, a cameo by Leonard Nimoy, and is said by many to be one of the best episodes ever. 

9. "The Mansion Family" (S11, ep12)

Mr. Burns has to go to the Mayo Clinic and leaves the Simpson family to watch his house. It's another episode that basically writes itself, and so many of the jokes land so perfectly that it has become a must-watch. 

8. "Homer's Enemy"(S8, ep23)

We find ourselves at another serious episode, but this one focuses on a new character: Frank Grimes. The episode is a statement about how some people can skate through life and do well while others have to work hard just to get by. 

7. "Kamp Krusty" (S4, ep1)

A parody of "Lord of the Flies", this episode sees Bart and Lisa go to a summer camp that is "run by" Krusty the Clown. It's funny on several levels and is one of the earliest episodes that really showcases how greedy and careless Krusty can be. 

6. "And Maggie Makes Three" (S6, ep13)

This is an episode that will tug at your heartstrings the first time you watch it, and maybe after that too. It's a story of sacrificing for your children and the last shot of the episode is a real kick in the stomach. 

5."Bart Gets an 'F'" (S2, ep1)

 It's an episode that we can all likely relate to, because we've all tried our best at something and still failed. It's an episode that does have some laughs as well as some emotions, and is still the most viewed episode on its premier night to-date. 

4.  "You Only Move Twice" (S8, ep2)

 Homer gets an offer for a job in a new city, and his new boss is a man named Hank Scorpio. It's one of the funniest episodes out there, and I wish Hank Scorpio was at least a rarely recurring character. 

3. "Lisa the Vegetarian" (S7, ep5)

This episode features a cameo by Paul McCartney, who refused be in the episode unless Lisa remained a vegetarian for the rest of the series. It's a funny episode, with a side-splitting educational video by Troy McClure. 

2. "Itchy & Scratchy & Marge" (S2, ep9)

 This episode is not only funny, but has some solid commentary about censorship in cartoons. The show doesn't really take a side either way, but it's a excellent entry regardless. 

1. "Itchy and Scratchy Land" (S6, ep4)

Alright, I know this isn't everyone's favorite and might not even crack most top 10's, but I love this episode. It's a parody of "West World" and a reflection of theme parks overall. I might have a bias as someone who had worked in theme parks for several years, but I still laugh at these jokes and this is a solid #1 for me. 

So those are my top 20 episodes. I didn't include any of the "Treehouse of Horror" episodes, because that would have eliminated a lot of the episodes that got on this list. I may end up doing a post about those episodes specifically in the future.

Anyway, did your favorite end up on the list? Do you disagree with any of these? Let me know!

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

Book Review - The Fold

Hello Enthusiasts,

I have really been enjoying the work of Peter Clines. You can see my review of the Ex-Hero series here, and his novel 14 was excellent (I still need to read Paradox Bound). So I picked up today's book, The Fold, excited to see where Clines would take us. Of course, as always, you can expect some Spoilers Below. 

The story follows our main character, Leland "Mike" Erikson, a man with perfect memory who has resigned himself to teaching English in Maine. This all changes when his old friend and DARPA official, Reggie, asks him to review a project. The project itself, called the Albuquerque Door, folds the space between two locations to allow someone to travel instantaneously. However, something seems to be wrong with the door, and the team of scientists that invented it refuse to tell anyone anything about how it works. As Mike is reviewing the project the problems only seem to get worse, and it seems that the world itself may be in danger if something isn't done.

There is a lot that works in this book. As always, Peter Clines doesn't treat his audience as if they're idiots. He's very good at not explaining everything right up front, allowing the reader to figure things out before filling them in on details. For example, he slowly introduces the idea that Mike has a flawless memory through small actions before outright stating it for the reader. It's also hinted as the story moves forward that this book is a tie in to 14, and it isn't until the end of the book that it is almost referenced outright. Most of the characters are pretty relatable as well, though the ones that aren't are obviously written that way intentionally. The book has a nice pace to it as well; it doesn't linger on anything for too long, but also isn't moving at a break-neck speed. The story of folding space may have been done before, but having it tie in with 14 adds a new element, and one that ends up making it all feel pretty fresh. I also feel that one of Peter Clines' greatest strengths in writing is his ability to take something complex and break it down in a way that isn't too difficult to understand. He could have easily made it more difficult for the reader to get an idea of how Mike's memory works, but he instead creates a visual of an ant colony that brings out different memories that can be stored or used whenever Mike needs them. I can't really do it justice here, but the way it's laid out in the story works very well.

While I like a lot about this book, there are a few drawback to this title. One of the problems was somewhat out of the writer's control, and that's having a character like Mike. It can be difficult to have a character like that and not have them come off as at least a little obnoxious. They remember everything and will often cut people off to finish their sentences, or will go into far too much detail about something that happened or someone they met to show off how good their memory is. Now, to his credit, Clines does lean into this and has other characters call Mike out about how annoying he is after they've already been impressed initially, but it can still be a little annoying for the reader. Also, I didn't feel like all of the characters were fleshed out enough. To reference 14 again, I felt in that story like I knew what each character would say in a situation and just a bit more about all of them. The characters here aren't all the same, but I really didn't get the sense that I knew them all too well. Now, that could very well be intentional as part of the twist of this story, which I won't spoil here, but it still felt like it took something away from the book.

Regardless of any negatives, I would recommend this book to friends, though not to the same level as some of Clines' other work. It's not his best, but it's still better than a lot of other stories out there. It has a lot going for it, just not as much as 14, and certainly not as much as the Ex-Hero series. So I say pick it up for a read, though you'll get more out of it if you do read 14 first.

I give Peter Clines' The Fold a 7.5 out of 10.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

Book Review: The Martian

Hello Enthusiasts,

There are few things that I love as much as when you expect a book to be okay and get completely blown away with how good it is. This has happened to me a handful of times, and some of those instances have been reviews that I have posted on this very blog. Today, I get to add another one to that list as I review the Andy Weir novel The Martian. Now if you haven't read the book or seen the movie, I give you full warning that there will be some Spoilers Below.

The book follows astronaut Mark Watney, who is stranded by his crew on Mars as they are evacuating the planet. The crew leaves him there due to some very compelling evidence that he is killed during a sandstorm. However, Mark lived through the ordeal and made it back to the crew's base on Mars. Now he has to figure out how to survive until the next mission in four years, or communicate with Earth. It will take every skill he has to live in a world that constantly seems to be fighting against him.

So a lot of this story is told from the perspective of Mark's journal on Mars. He writes what's happening here in part as a way to keep his sanity, though he says that it's because he wants there to be something to find if he dies. There are a few areas that break from this format, mostly when the audience is brought back to NASA to read about the people on Earth working on a solution to bring Mark hime. The journal style of telling the story is great in terms of the exposition, because it makes sense that Mark has to explain all of the science around what he's doing. Trust me when I say you'll likely need the explanations for some of this, as there is a lot of science in this book. Mark was both the repairman and the botanist for the mission, so he has to use this knowledge and resources at his disposal in order to survive.

There is a lot to love about this book. While the story takes place a bit in the future, none of the science is unbelievable. The author takes the time to go into detail about why this technology works, why it's included on the missions, what the backup systems are, everything that could really cause a plothole. Because so much is explained so thoroughly, I was able to give a pass to the jumps in technology and the idea that NASA would have a large enough budget to allow so much innovation in space travel. Mark is also a very likable character; he's very smart about a few subjects, but he's not flawless. He makes mistakes despite his best intentions and plans. Mark is also incredibly relatable; he likes to make jokes, he loses his temper, he panics, he gets cocky, etc. Really, all of the characters are well-developed and none of them are written as an antagonist or anything. Even the characters at NASA that don't agree with the plan that is chosen to save Mark have good, legitimate reasons for what they do. Nobody is a villain, it's very much a "man vs. nature" story.

There isn't too much to complain about with this book. One of my only issues with this book was that so much of the story was told in from the perspective of journal entries. Even though it was still an awesome read and I like this form of story telling, it did make the story a little less suspenseful, as I knew he Mark was obviously okay since he was writing another entry. The book does try to work around that a little, since the journal is being recorded with the idea that it's there in case Mark doesn't survive. The only other thing I wanted from this book would have been an epilogue, as the story just ends once the problems are all resolved. I think this is the only thing that the movie did better than the book.

This is overall a great book for anyone looking a for hard-science fiction. Everything seems believable and, despite all of the science, it's an easy book to knock out over the course of a couple of days. It may not be for everyone, especially those who are looking for a story with a villain or those who just aren't fans of science fiction. With that being said, if you're not opposed to the very idea of this book, it's a solid recommend for me.

I give The Martian a 9 out of 10.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

5 Podcasts to Listen to

Hello Enthusiasts,

I spend a whole lot of time driving for my job, and the radio can't always be trusted to have anything good. It was with this mindset that I dove into the world of podcasts to find some that I may enjoy. I have found some that do not suit me at all, and others that become a highlight within the week for me. With that being said, I wanted to share my findings with you all, so below you will find my 5 podcast recommendations. These aren't necessarily the top 5 podcasts out there, just ones that I enjoy most out of what I've listened to thus far.

1. Myths and Legends

This is a podcast that tells some unknown stories of lore, and some well known ones that time forgot some of the details to. The stories are narrated by Jason Weiser, who has a relatable manner of speaking and isn't just reading the text. Instead, he has the characters of the tales speak as people today would in order to add some humor to the story and to reduce any confusion the listener may have. He does a great job of explaining back story and sometimes will go into what had been happening in the real world during the timeframe the story is set in. Now, admittedly, I am still fairly new to this series, so I haven't listened to the majority of it yet. However, everything I have heard is a  great listen, and I always love to learn more about these myths and legends.

2. Do Go On

Three Australian comedians, Dave Warneke, Jess Perkins, and Matt Stewart, present a different topic each week to each other and the listeners. They take turns in presenting these topics each week, and  the other two are unaware of what the topic is before the start of the show. Previous topics have included The Simpsons, the Challenger explosion, The History of Pantera, and the Mad Gasser of Mattoon. Their reports will often get off topic as the other two chime in, but it always gets brought back to the topic at some point so they can finish the report they put together. This is, hands down, my favorite podcast every week. I find myself laughing at every episode during the sidetracks, but I always come away with some new knowledge on the topic of the week. Some of the topics are things I am already familiar with, others are completely new to me when I start listening. The crew will also bring in guest reporters from time to time, which is always fun to listen to since these guests usually report on a topic that they are already passionate about. I cannot recommend this podcast enough, especially to those who enjoy taking a little longer to get through the story.

3. SinCast

Brought to you by the folks over at Cinemasins and Music Video Sins, this podcast involves these folks discussing movies in their own ways. This involves praise, nitpicking, ranting, and joking about both well-known and lesser known flicks. They will sometimes bring on special guests to discuss movies as well, and they are currently doing a "road trip" series, which involves choosing a state within the U.S. and discussing a bunch of movies set mostly or wholly in that state. I am really enjoying the road trip episodes, because it allows them to go over a ton of films in a short period of time. Some of them I'm familiar with, others I'm not, but it's always fun to hear what they have to say. I may not always agree with them, but that's entertainment, nothing is made for everyone. Still though, I recommend it for a listen, especially if you're already a fan of their Youtube channels.

4. The Weekly Planet

Are you looking for some red-hot comic book movie news shooting up your butthole? Well, the boys at the Weekly Planet will do their best to fill that need. James Clement (A.K.A Mr. Sunday Movies) and Nick Mason (A.K.A the #1 party boy) discuss movies and comics and T.V shows every week. They review the latest news in these worlds before moving onto a topic for the week. This might be a discussion on a new movie in the theater, a discussion about the history of a franchise, a list of different ultimatums that they can decide on, etc. They also take some time each episode for a segment on what they're reading/watching/playing called "What are we reading, what are we gonna read?", as well as a segment where they respond to some correspondence from their listeners called "Letters". The whole show is a great time every week, as these two Aussie boys are hilarious in their observations and story telling. Mason will often have recurring characters that he will act out for a moment or two, and James will have a segment every once in a while called "H8 mail but the hate has an 8 in it", which involves him reading incredibly negative comments that they have received. This podcast is a strong recommend from me, it was the first podcast that I really latched onto and it remains one of my favorites.

5. Wolverine: The Long Night

This podcast is a serial style story about a series of strange deaths in the small town of Burns, Alaska. Two special agents, Sally Pirece and Tod Marshall, are sent out to find out what's happening to these people. Along the way they discover a cult that is obsessed with the long night, and who partake in some questionable practices. All of this would be cool enough, but this story also features everyone's favorite loner-Canadian-mutant, Wolverine. Now I have currently only listened to the first three episodes of this story, none of which feature Wolverine heavily, though he is mentioned a several times and is a par t of the investigation. Still, the story is interesting and well executed, and this is the first scripted podcast from the folks at Marvel, so I am definitely going to keep listening.

So those are my recommends for podcasts. Do you have some of your own? Leave me a comment below!

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

Game Review: South Park - The Fractured but Whole

Hello Enthusiasts,

Back in 1997, a new animated show premiered to the world. Its animations were crude, its characters had few redeemable traits, and it was purposely offensive in its writing. This show was South Park, and while it has certainly grown since its early years, it still holds on to a number of these concepts. It has gained such a following over the years that it has had its own movie and a couple of video games. Today I will be focusing on the newest of these games (outside of the mobile game), South Park: The Fractured but Whole. Now, of course, there will be some Spoilers Below, as well as some potentially Offensive Content, so you have been warned.

So this game picks up right at the end of the previous game, South Park: The Stick of Truth. You play as the "New Kid", who will never be named, in the final battle in the medieval setting. In the same spirit as the last game, your character has incredibly powerful farts, and this game will only further this narrative from where the previous game left it. This power is used in this starting battle to gain the upper-hand in obtaining the Stick of Truth. However, before the stick can be obtained, Cartman interrupts the game as his super hero alter-ego, The Coon. He lets everyone know that they're changing games, and now it's time to play super heroes. Your character is eventually recruited into the Coon and Friends group, and you are able to select your starting class. Your starting goal is to get followers on Coonstagram in order to promote the Coon and Friends franchise so they can start getting movies and Netflix shows. It sounds normal enough, but anyone familiar with South Park can guess that the story will spiral well out of any kind of normalcy. The story explores a rivalry with the other group of heroes and Professor Chaos, as well as a conspiracy involving a cult that's causing all kinds of trouble in the small town. It's a crazy tale that is stuffed with hilarious dialogue and some disturbing visuals, which can be expected from a franchise like South Park. You can also expect call-backs to previous South Park episodes, all of which fit well within the story.

In terms of gameplay, this game is pretty simple, but fun. The fighting is turn-based, and you can control multiple characters. The battles are set-up on a grid, with attacks impacting specific tiles on the grid. There are different status effects that can be caused, such as burning or disgusted, though some enemies are immune to certain things. Attacks will vary from character to character, and each available class has different attacks. Apart from the regular attacks, your character is also able to use farts that can manipulate time itself, which can be used to skip turns or reverse damage. There are several items and assisting characters that can be used to help clear out a crazy battlefield. Outside of battle, the game allows you to roam free, collect items and talk to the citizens of South Park. As you unlock new farts and friends, you're able to access more areas throughout South Park that were previously inaccessible. Both in and out of combat, there is a lot more to the gameplay than it initially lets on.

While the game is very enjoyable, there are some things that feel like they could have been done better. In the previous game, you were able to both use an item and attack in the same turn, which could allow your character to heal and attack in the same turn. This was changed for this title, so using an item now is that character's whole turn. Being able to do both didn't make the game easy, but it did prevent you from ending up in a loop of having to heal or remove a status effect every turn while being attacked. Outside of that, there are also some repeated story beats from the previous game that lose their shock value if you've played both. One example of this is your "backstory" that Cartman gives you about the origin of your powers, which stems from seeing your dad have sex with your mom. This would have been a lot funnier if there wasn't a wildly explicit scene of your parents having sex in The Stick of Truth. While none of this destroys this game or anything, it does take away from the game enough to be noticeable.

Small complaints aside, this is a great game for fans of South Park and those who know what they're getting into. If you're easily offended, you should probably avoid this game (as well as South Park as a whole), but it's otherwise a great time. You're not going to find a terribly difficult game here, but it is wildly funny and enjoyable.

I give South Park: The Fractured but Whole a 7.5 out of 10.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

Comic Book Review - The Unbelievable Gwenpool vol. 1

Hello Enthusiasts,

With all of the serious material out there, be it TV shows, movies, games, or books, it can sometimes be nice to enjoy something for the laughs and lighthearted nature. It was with this attitude that I hopped into the first volume of The Unbelievable Gwenpool by Christopher Hastings. There will, of course, be spoilers below.

So, what could the story for this kind of title possibly be? Well, to start out, this Gwen is not that Gwen, a point that she does make in this comic. No, this Gwen is just someone who loves comics and has spent years of her life reading marvel titles. She is wildly familiar with a number of different characters, both the main ones and some of the unknown ones. But one day she gets sucked into a comic and becomes part of the marvel universe. She immediately realizes that she needs to get a costume, as standard folks are likely to get killed or held hostage in this universe. She soon decides that this must be her comic book, so she should be able to get out of most scenarios and survive most things, and decides to take on mercenary work from there. Along the way she needs to find a way to fit into this insane universe and fight off some of the worst beings in the marvel universe, all while making some friends too. It's actually a very clever premise that is well executed, something that I have come to expect from Christopher Hastings (for anyone who didn't read my glowing review of The adventures of Doctor McNinja, you can find that here).

The humor in this comic is almost always spot on, with Gwen getting herself into all kinds of trouble as she stumbles her way through her own comic. There were several laugh-out-loud moments for me throughout the volume. The artwork is also very well done, capturing a variety of emotions from characters and really popping off the page. Gwen herself is also a very fleshed out character, despite spending so much time goofing off during the story. She obviously feels isolated and out of place sometimes, and knows that she is trying to get by in a world that is inhabited by supernatural beings. There are threats that she doesn't exactly take seriously because she sees so many heroes deal with them, only to find that it is much more difficult than it looks.

In terms of complaints, they are few and far between. I'm not crazy about the design of her costume, though it is serviceable for the story.  It also seems like more characters should believe her about what happened to her considering the world that they live in. It's fine to say that half the planet were actually Skrulls in Secret Invasion and that there are LITERAL GODS that live in Asgard and travel to Earth, but not that someone is from a different reality where their world is comics? I mean, they know that there is a multiverse. Again, some small things, but not too much to come down on.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story. I think if you want a fun, goofy story, a tale of a misplaced comic book lover in the world of Marvel can be a perfect fit. There are imperfections, but they don't take enough away from this one to take away a solid recommend. I look forward to volume two, as well as reading Hastings' next project, Deadpool: Secret Agent Deadpool. 

I give the first volume of The Unbelievable Gwenpool an 8 out of 10.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

Game Review: Marvel's Spider-man on PS4

Hello Enthusiasts, 

It sure has been a while since my last review, eh? Well, it took a highly anticipated game involving a well-known comic book character to bring me back in, but here I am, and I have written up a longer one here. Today, I will be reviewing Marvel's Spider-man on PS4. Now I won't be giving away the ending of the story here, but you can expect Some Spoilers Below. 

Let's start with the story, because it's not what you may be familiar with. Peter Parker is not a kid anymore, he's already gone to college and is working as a lab assistant. At this point he's been Spider-man for 8-10 years, so he knows a thing or two about being a hero. The lore is a bit different than the comics though. He hasn't been a member of the Avengers or anything, he doesn't even seem to know much about the other Marvel heroes (for example, if you take a photo of the Sanctum Sanctorum, Peter just comments that the building always seemed a little strange to him, but he doesn't seem aware that it's Doctor Strange's place). You also find out early on that Peter's job has him working for Otto Octavius prior to him becoming Doctor Octopus, and it seems that the Green Goblin has not made any sort of debut since Norman Osborn is mayor and Spider-man doesn't bring anything up about that. 

The playable starts out with Wilson Fisk's arrest, which Spider-man is, of course, a big part of. The Kingpin doesn't go down easy, but our favorite web head takes care of it in what is one of my favorite tutorial missions to-date. However, as Fisk is being put into the back of a police van, he tells us that he's what's been keeping crime organized, and the city will fall into chaos without him. Everyone seems to brush t off as something he would say to get out of jail, but, of course, we all know foreshadowing when we see it. 

And so begins the story of NYC without the Kingpin, and what a wild ride it is. I don't want to give anything else away for those that haven't been keeping up with this title, but know that this story hit all of the beats that you want it to, as well as some that you may not have expected. The fact that so much of the story is different than we know from years of Spider-man history only means that so many of these turns feel incredibly fresh. Peter's relationship with Mary Jane and aunt May feels so different, and it's done so well, that I ended up being in it for the story as much as the gameplay. 

Speaking of which, let's talk gameplay. How's the swinging? The fighting mechanics? The webbing? The pigeon hunting?

It's all fantastic, even the pigeon hunting. 

For anyone who read my list of top 5 Spider-man Games (which can be found here), you know that I had a small difference of opinion about the best Spider-man game thus far, with Web of Shadows being my favorite of them all (Spider-man 2 was a close second, I promise). I felt that almost everything from Spider-man 2 had been improved upon, especially the combat. However, this game makes all of Web of Shadows improvements seem minimal at best. The combat in this is beyond amazing; it's all very acrobatic while maintaining an exciting amount of difficulty. There have been several comparisons to the combat from the Arkham series, and there is an element of that, but this is really something else. Having a dodging mechanic doesn't make it a copy, and the fact that dodging in this game doesn't automatically cause damage to the enemy like Arkham does separates it plenty by itself. Add onto that how much the game emphasizes using in-air combat and web throws, and it makes it something entirely unique. Some of the larger fights include some quick-time events, but they always feel well-managed and necessary for the cinematic moments in a fight. 

The game does return to having a limited amount of webbing in a way, though it recharges quickly on its own. Plus, there are plenty of other gadgets and webbing types that can be used, so you'll never really find that you're out of options. Things like web-swinging and web-zipping don't impact your webbing at all either, so while it may seem like a step-back initially, it really is a non-issue. 

Speaking of web-swinging and traveling around the island, Spider-man has never felt more fluid than he does in this game. His webs do need to attach to something in order to use them, which adds a level of realism, but swinging is just one part of it. Web-zipping, both in general and to a specific spot (called a Point-Launch) while traveling, is really the best part. Spider-man's years of experience show through as you traverse through the city as he will launch through the support beams of a water tower or use his webs as he runs up the side of a fire escape. Additionally, the controls are pretty intuitive, though they do take a few attempts to really get the hang of. Once you have them down though, it all feels like second nature. I have spent hours just roaming through the city and stopping for the occasional crime. 

So we've discussed the story and the mechanics, but what about side missions? Well, there are plenty to go through, though none of them will take more than a few minutes. There are labs around the city that have been set up by Harry Osborn that need attention, there are pigeons to catch, there are towers that unlock more of the map, and there are even old backpacks to find, all of which include an old piece of Spider-man or Parker memorabilia. There are warehouses and strongholds to storm, locations to photograph, and characters that you encounter throughout the game will open up even more of these side missions. There are also small mini-games which either have you connecting circuits or breaking down chemicals. These mini-games themselves are fine, though they can get a little tedious later on. 

Now, I mentioned the backpack collectables a moment ago, and that brings me to the unlockables in the game. There are different gadgets and skills that you can unlock, with the skills in a skill-tree that you can complete by the end of the game if you're staying on top of your side missions. However, the highlight are the suits. There are several different suits to unlock, all of which have their own power (which can be transferred from one to the other once unlocked). Plus, there are suit mods that can be used as well, such as reduced bullet or melee damage. The variety is outstanding, and you unlock more by completing the side missions in the game to earn different tokens that can be spent on whatever suit or ability you want.  

I think cartoon Spider-man wandered through the wrong door here

So, is it all gold then? The perfect Spider-man game? Well, no, there are a couple of things that do take away from the experience. There are a few stealth missions where you play as characters other than Spider-man, and they feel very forced. It feels even worse because there are stealth missions where you do play as Spider-man, and those are great. Playing as non-powered individuals seems like a way to break the rhythm in a game where I did not want a change of pace. Also, which I am a huge fan of a good skill tree, some of the skills in the tree ended up being things that I rarely used, such as the ground strike. However, any complaints are small and don't take away much from the game overall.

So, to wrap up, Marvel's Spider-man on the PS4 is spectacular. It has just about everything a Spiderman-fan or gamer could want. It's challenging and equally rewarding, with fluid motions and excellent fighting mechanics. It's a definite recommend, and could really be a system-selling title for Sony. There are a few parts of the game that may be annoying, but it is an enjoyable and amazing experience.

I have to give Marvel's Spider-man on PS4 a 9.5 out of 10. If my system allowed, I would give it a 9.9, but it's all in increments of .5, and it doesn't hit that perfect 10 for me.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast

Game Review: Celeste

                         The above image belongs to its respective owner, not me

Hello Enthusiasts,

More and more it feels like the big titles in video games are offering us less than we're paying for. It can feel like the only route to go to find a good value in a game is to find a good smaller title. Today's review is going to focus on one of those smaller titles. Today, we will be reviewing the small platforming title Celeste.

So as a head's up, I had played this game on the Nintendo Switch, and had picked it up from the eshop at $19.99, so that's the value we're looking for.

The game's story follows the main character, Madeline, as she climbs Mt. Celeste. The main character suffers from terrible anxiety and self-doubt, and the game is as much about helping her overcome these issues as it is about overcoming the mountain. As it turns out though, this mountain is there to help Madeline as well, showing her a side of herself that she was afraid to confront before. It's only by accepting her flaws and overcoming her mental anguish that she can overcome Mt. Celeste as well. She does find a few friends to help along the way who support her journey, but this is more of a self-discovery story than one of a team effort.

The platforming in this game is flawless, but brutal. The game is reminiscent of Meat Boy in terms of the platforming and split-second timing requirements. However, despite the thousands of deaths I have accrued over the course of this game, it never felt unfair. Even on levels where the path through wasn't obvious, I always knew it was there and that the level was entirely possible. The pixel-art style works perfectly with Celeste, as it allows the game to flourish on its gameplay and story alone. The colors of the game all seem somewhat muted, and yet the game is gorgeous at times. There are collectibles throughout the game, from different hearts to berries, and even "B-sides", which offer alternative and more difficult versions of each chapter. The soundtrack is also fitting, always matching the mood for each level and staying appropriate for the story.

To answer my earlier question, yes, Celeste is absolutely worth the price of purchase, and then some. $20 is appropriate in terms of getting people to buy in, but the game really is worth twice that. My only complaint is that I wanted this game to go over for longer. However, with B-sides to still unlock, I plan on enjoying this title for a bit longer.

I give Celeste 10 out of 10. The game is probably more of a 9.5, but with it being sold at such a bargain, it earns that last .5.

Sincerely,

The Bored Enthusiast